An analysis of HS6-5-2 steel viscosity in the semi-solid state

The main objective of this study was an analysis of the rheological properties of selected steel alloy in the semi-solid. A knowledge of the rheological properties of material is crucial for the numerical modeling of the shaping technology. Semi-solid processing of metal alloys, also known as thixoforming processes, is an innovative method which has many advantages in comparison with classical metal forming and foundry processes. The most significant achievement of this particular study is the application of viscometer which was specially designed for material tests executed at extremely high temperatures, such as the tool steel. It was performed using a rotational viscometer with a stationary external cup. The results were used for the development of mathematical models of the apparent viscosity.